The invention relates to a method of applying a ceramic layer to an under-layer having a relatively low melting temperature, in particular a synthetic resin under-layer, whereby particles of a ceramic material are provided on such an under-layer, and a mechanical bond between ceramic particles on the one hand and the under-layer on the other hand is brought about by heating.
Such a method is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,769. In the method described in said document, a synthetic resin under-layer provided with ceramic particles is heated to above the GTT (glass transition temperature), which is the temperature range in which the behavior of the material ranges between an elastic state and a viscous state, said synthetic resin under-layer being heated to a temperature at which melting phenomena occur only at the surface of the synthetic resin under-layer and at which the ceramic particles are embedded, so that, upon curing, these particles are mechanically bonded to the synthetic resin under-layer. In this manner, the surface of a synthetic resin product can be modified such that the mechanical properties of the product, in particular the frictional properties, can be influenced, i.e. improved, substantially.
However, this known method does not enable a ceramic layer to be applied to a synthetic resin under-layer in such a way that mutual bonding of the ceramic particles also takes place, which is important if the synthetic resin under-layer must be covered completely or substantially completely. Although it would be possible to replace metal by high-grade synthetic resins at locations where the material is subject to heavy mechanical loads, these high-grade synthetic resins also have a limited mechanical resistance. As regards components which are subject to wear or other mechanical influences, or whose optical properties, in connection with the visual impression, such as the outside of apparatus, are important, these high-grade synthetic resins do not provide a satisfactory solution either.